Thursday, August 7, 2014

Our first family vacation!

We were in great need of some family time so Joe and I decided that it was time to try a couple nights away with Joshua and see how it went.  We didn't want to go too far just in case Joshua were to get sick so we decided to go see some of the sites around SW and Central Ohio that we had never been to before.  Our first day was a trip to Newport Aquarium, just over the Ohio river in KY.  We stayed in Cincinnati for the first night.  The second day we drove up to Dayton and went to the Wright Patt Air Force Museum and the drove to Troy, OH to spend our 2nd night (and drove the kids around to reminisce my teaching and our dating years ).  The third day we drove to the Ohio Caverns and continued on home afterwards.  Overall it was a great trip!  
We made a stop at Mellow Mushroom for lunch so David could
have some pizza!
Stopped at a park to play until it was time to go to the aquarium
Next stop Newport Aquarium!
Under an archway aquarium with
sharks swimming above us

I loved snuggling with you!






Next stop WPAFB Museum, Dayton, OH
Abby's favorite part - seeing the mock shuttle

Love self-timers!

You did well in the hotel both nights!




It got a little tight walking with you in
some places.  

Our future geologist!  You can see in her eyes how excited she is!

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Where did July go???

Here's a recap of July...it was so busy and we were so preoccupied with many events going on in our lives that July passed by in a whirl!

First off we met with one of Joshua's primary NICU nurses on June 30 (not quite July, I know)  What a great day that was!  I have missed the conversations with the nurse friends that I made while in the NICU.  Even though the road was long and hard and stressful, I got adult conversation every day!  Adult conversation definitely is something that lacks when you are a stay-at-home homeschool mom!  Cari got to see Joshua roll and kick and smile.  He *tried* to move forward.  You could tell he was thinking about it, but no forward motion yet.

We miss you a lot Cari!!!
Other fun photos and happenings from July...
Post dinner snuggles

You are one happy boy!

Cow appreciation day...maybe next year you will participate!


Our first try at mini golfing as a fam!

David got a hole in ONE! 
Mommy and Joshua kept score while the others played!
Abby was her crazy self!

It was a bittersweet day when I returned the breast pump
to the hospital.  So many hours of pain and sacrifice with the
 "ugly yellow baby" (as one lactation consultant in the NICU would call it),
but we still have a lot of milk in the freezer and you have been
breastfeeding a little better since you've been off oxygen.
Matching with Grandpa!

Your sister is your little Mommy.
She watches out for you as your roll around the room.
She loves to pick you up now that Mommy and
Daddy allow her to since you are
bigger and stronger.
Your first official try at baby food - July 23, 2014

You liked your pears and you liked sticking your
tongue out at the spoon.

You finished about 1/3 of a jar


One of your modes of transportation...
dig your heals in, arch your back, and slide up on your head and back.

You still like those tubes even though you
don't have to wear them anymore.

Inching forward army crawl!
You had one amazing week of milestones!  From July 20- July 29 you went from scooting on your back, rolling and rotating - to a few days later inching forward by reaching - to a few days later half rolling and reaching, then half rolling to the other side and reaching - to typical army crawl - to a little froggy army crawl where your legs hop like a frog and you get off the ground!  You go pretty fast with this frog hop thing!  During that week you also got up on your knees and rocked.  You also started babbling "B" and "D" sounds  babababa...dahb, dahb...

Trying to get you to stay still for a "posed" 11 month picture
is DIFFICULT!  Here you are on the move to see the truck!

You are mad because I'm holding your legs to stay still!

off to more exploring!

The second I put you on the couch you are moving to a
"better" position.  And look at that weird thing you do with your
tongue!  You bite it so hard it turns purple!  The PT from HMG was
a little concerned.  I hope it is just a teething thing!
Finally a photo of you sitting upright!!!
(about to dive off the couch!)


A classic, pensive Joshua look - "What are you doing?!"

Finally some cute smiles and you aren't running away!
We used one of the pics from this photo shoot for
your b-day party invite!  How can you be 11 months old?!
Our first family trip as a family of 6 was also in mid-July!  That will be its own post!

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Happy 4th of July!

Joshua's first 4th of July!  We were invited by a friend from church to join her and her family at their spot along the parade route in Upper Arlington.  It was an absolutely beautiful day which makes of a little for the previous years of rain whenever we head to a July 4th parade.  The older kids sat on the curb with their friend Olivia (who Abby and I will be going to Disney World with in September!!!)  Joshua hung out with Joe in the shade.  Let me tell you those UA people know how to make a 4th of July float!  A tiger, a man on the moon, a train...very impressive!
With their friend Olivia


Snuggling with Dad during the parade

The best float of the parade!  Amazing!
Afterwards we went back to their house for a cookout and fellowship.  Joshua got totally off schedule and slept 15 mintues here and there.  By the end of the day he was a VERY cranky baby, so tired, yet would not fall asleep for anything.  Needless to say I stayed home from the fireworks with Joshua and finally got him to fall asleep while Joe took the kids to the Hilliard display with our new neighbors.  Fun day and might I add that our littlest looked very spiffy in his "tie."